Sobek | Ancient Egyptian Mythology Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Ancient Egyptian Mythology Wiki Share Sobek (also known as Sebek, Sebek-Ra, Sobeq, Suchos, Sobki, and Soknopais) was the ancient god of crocodiles. He is first mentioned in the Pyramid Texts and his worship continued until the Roman period. Some sects believed that Sobek was the creator of the world who arose from the "Dark Water" and created the order in the universe. Sobek was a god of the Nile who brought fertility to the land. As the "Lord of the Waters" he was thought to have risen from the primeval waters of Nun to create the world and made the Nile from his sweat. One creation myth stated that Sobek laid eggs on the bank of the waters of Nun thus creating the world. However, as well as being a force for creation, he was seen as an unpredictable deity who sometimes allied himself with the forces of Chaos. Sobek first appeared in the Old Kingdom as the son of Neith with the epithet "The Rager". According to some myths his father was Set, the god of thunder and chaos, but he also had a close association with Horus.

He was paired with a number of goddesses in different locations, most notably Hathor, Renenutet, Heqet and Taweret, and was sometimes referred to as the father of Khonsu, Horus or Khnum. In some areas, a tame crocodile was worshiped as the earthly embodiment of Sobek himself, while in other places crocodiles were reviled, hunted and killed. It seems likely that Sobek began as a dark god who had to be appeased, but that his protective qualities and his strength were valued when they were used in defence of the Pharaoh and the people. He could protect the justified dead in the netherworld, restoring their sight and reviving their senses. Because of his ferocity, he was considered to be the patron of the army. Sobek was sometimes considered to be an aspect of Horus because Horus took the form of a crocodile to retrieve the parts of Osiris' body which were lost in the Nile. Yet Sobek was also thought to have assisted Isis when she gave birth to Horus.

He also rescued the four mummiform sons of Horus (Imsety the human headed protector of the liver, Hapy the baboon headed protector of the lungs, Duamutef the jackal headed protector of the stomach and Qebehsenuef the falcon headed protector of the intestines) by gathering them in a net when they rose from Sobek the Crocodile god. the waters in a lotus bloom. However, he was also associated with Set, the enemy of Osiris. He was also worshiped as the manifestation of Amun-Re and was often depicted wearing either the headdress of Amun or the sun disk of Ra. The strength and speed of the crocodile was thought to be symbolic of the power of the Pharaoh, and the word "sovereign" was written with the hieroglyph of a crocodile. It was thought that Sobek could protect the Pharaoh from dark magic. During the Twelfth and Thirteenth Dynasties, the cult of Sobek was given particular prominence and a number of rulers incorporated him in their coronation names. He was depicted as a crocodile, a mummified crocodile or a man with the head of a crocodile.

He often wore a plumed headdress with a horned sun disk or the atef crown (associating him with Amon-Ra) and carried the Was sceptre (representing power) and the Ankh (representing the breath of life). Mummified crocodiles representing the god have been found in many ancient tombs. The Egyptians mummified both infant and mature crocodiles and even interred crocodile eggs and foetuses with the deceased in order to enlist the protection of Sobek in the afterlife. Sobek was known as the Lord of Faiyum, and it is thought that his worship originated in that area. In particular, he was very popular in the city of Arsinoe (known as Shedyet by the Egyptians) near the Faiyum, causing the Greeks to rename the city Crocodilopolis. There is a twelfth dynasty temple at Medinet Madi dedicated to Sobek, his wife Renenutet (the snake goddess who was the protector of the harvest and granaries), and Horus. The temple was originally built by Amenemhet III and Amenemhet IV, but restored during the New Kingdom and expanded during the Ptolemaic period.

Tame crocodiles were kept in a sacred pool and hand fed choice cuts of meat and honey cakes and adorned with precious jewels. However, worship of the god extended to Thebes and Kom Ombo where there was a dual temple dedicated to Sobek and Horus. The left (northern) side was dedicated to Horus the elder (as opposed to Horus son of Isis) while the right side (southern) was dedicated to Sobek. Each temple has its own entrance, chapels and its own dedicated priests. The temple was constructed during the Ptolemaic period, but there is evidence of an older structure at that location which may date from the New Kingdom. In the temple of Kom Ombo, Horus appears with his wife Tesentefert (the good sister) and his son Panebtawy (the child god) while Sobek appears with Hathor (who is more often considered to be the wife of Horus the elder) and his son Khonsu (usually considered to be the son of Amun and Mut).

Information Sourse: Sobek - Egyptian Mythology - Crocodile God - Repairer of Evil Sobek In Egyptian mythology , Sobek (also spelt Sebek, , Sochet, Sobk, Sobki, Soknopais, and in Greek, Suchos) was the deification of crocodiles, and was originally a demon, as crocodiles were deeply feared in the nation so dependant on the Nile River. His worship began as an attempt to placify crocodiles so as to reduce the danger they posed. Gradually, Sobek, as a major one of its residents, also came to symbolise the produce of the Nile, thus the fertility to the land that it brought, and so his status quickly became more ambiguous. Sometimes, the ferocity of a crocodile was seen in a positive light, Sobek in these circumstances being considered the army's patron, as representative of their strength and power. When Neith took on the characteristics of a goddess of primal waters, Sobek became, as a watery creature, of both good and evil, to be considered her son.

Sobek's cult originally flourished around El Faiyûm, where some temples still remain; the area was so associated with Sobek that one town, Arsinoe, was known to the Greeks as Crocodilopolis. In Arsinoe, they kept a tamed crocodile, ornamented with jewelery, and hand fed with meat, which the greeks referred to as Petsuchos, meaning he of Suchos [i.e. Sobek]. The Petsuchos was seen as the current incarnation of Sobek. Sobek-worship flourished in and after the Twelfth Dynasty, with other major centres developing in Kom Ombo and Thebes. However, in other areas of Egypt, crocodiles were dealt with simply by hunting and killing them. Sobek's ambiguous nature lead some to say he was a repairer of evil that had been done, rather than a force for good in itself, for example, going to Duat to restore damage done to the dead as a result of their form of death. He was also said to call on suitable gods and goddesses required for protecting people in situation, effectively having a more distant role, nudging things along, rather than taking an active part.

In this way, he was seen as a more primal god, eventually becoming regarded as an avatar of the primal god Amun , who at that time was considered the chief god. When his identity finally merged, Amun had become merged himself with Ra to become Amun-Ra, so Sobek, as an avatar of Amun-Ra, was known as Sobek-Ra. In art, Sobek was depicted as an ordinary crocodile, or as a man with the head of a crocodile. When considered a patron of the pharaoh's army, he was shown with the symbol of royal authority - the uraeus. He was also shown with an ankh , representing his ability to undo evil and so cure ills. Once he had become Sebek-Ra, he was also shown with a sun-disc over his head, as Ra was a sun god. In myths that appear extremely late in Egyptian history, Sobek is credited with catching the four sons of Horus in a net, as they emerged from the waters of the Nile in a lotus blossom.

This motif derives from the birth of Ra in the Ogdoad cosmogony, and the fact that as a crocodile, Sobek is the best suited to collecting items upon the Nile. Gods and Goddesses Menu This article is copied from an article on Wikipedia.org - the free encyclopedia created and edited by online user community. Although the vast majority of the wikipedia encyclopedia articles provide accurate and timely information please do not assume the accuracy of any particular article. This article is distributed under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License . Sobek, Ancient Egyptian God of Crocodiles Image © Brooklyn Museum Despite the different attitudes of people to the god, he was venerated as one who restored sight to the dead, who revived their senses and who protected them from Set who attacked those souls who travelled through the land of the dead. Sobek was a god of the Nile (which was believed to have come from his sweat) who gave life to vegetation and fertility to the land. The 'Lord of the Waters' was believed to have risen from the primeval waters of Nun to create the world. One tale says that Sobek laid his eggs on the bank of the waters, starting the creation process.

He was thus a fertility god, 'He Who Made the Herbage Green'. This explains his link to the rebirth of the deceased into the after life. On the western border of the Fayum... on the lake of Moeris was the temple of Sobek of the Island, Soknopaios as it is called by the Greeks. It had a high-priest who received a small stipend of 344 drachmæ, and all the other priests together received daily about one bushel of wheat as remuneration for their trouble. They were not even immune from the statutory labour on the embankments, and if this was lessened for them, it was owing to the good offices of their fellow citizens. -- Lewis Spence (2010), Egypt, Myths and Legends, p. 55 Sobek's temples were found scattered throughout the land of Egypt, but the Faiyum area in Lower Egypt was his sacred area. The Greek-named the town of 'Crocodilopolis' (Shedyet) had a temple where a tame, sacred crocodile was kept by himself in a lake.

The crocodile was hand fed by the priests, seemingly for the amusement of ancient tourists, according to Strabo. At some of the temples, crocodiles of all ages were mummified and placed in sarcophagi in tombs, along with some unborn foetuses, still in the eggs. A temple at Medinet Maadi was dedicated to Sobek, the goddess Renenutet and Horus. In Upper Egypt he was worshipped in the Kom Ombo - there was a temple at Kom Ombo dedicated to Sobek, Hathor and Khonsu. Another temple at Kom Ombo venerates both Sobek and Horus the Elder. Legend had is that the 'Lord of Bakhu' had a temple made of carnelian at Bakhu - mountain of the horizon. [THE CHAPTER OF] MAKING THE TRANSFORMATION INTO THE CROCODILE-GOD. The Osiris Ani, whose word is truth, saith:- I am the Crocodile-god (Sobek) who dwelleth amid his terrors. I am the Crocodile-god and I seize [my prey] like a ravening beast. I am the great Fish which is in Kamui.

I am the Lord to whom bowings and prostrations are made in Sekhem. And the Osiris Ani is the lord to whom bowings and prostrations are made in Sekhem. -- Wallis Budge, E.A., The Egyptian Book of the Dead Sobek first appeared in the Old Kingdom as the son of Nit , where he was known as ad 'The Rager'. The two were mentioned as mother and son in the pyramid of Unas. Some tales suggested that Set was his father. He was given different wives in different areas - Hathor , Renenutet , Heqet to name a few. He was also thought to be husband of the goddess Taweret , who was somtimes depicted with a crocodile on her back. He was, likewise, given different children - Khonsu, Horus and Khnum were sometimes called his sons, again in different areas. Those who do away utterly sins and offences, and who are in the following of the goddess Hetepsekhus, are the god Sobek and his associates who dwell in the water. The goddess Hetepsekhus is the Eye of Ra.

Others, however, say that it is the flame which accompanieth Osiris to burn up the souls of his enemies. -- Wallis Budge, E.A., The Egyptian Book of the Dead During the Middle Kingdom, Sobek was linked to the god Amen, who seemed to have assimilated him to some degree. He was also connected to the sun god Ra, giving the form Sobek-Ra, who was worshipped as another omnipotent manifestation of the sun deity. Thus Sobek could be shown wearing either the headdress of Amen or the sun disk of Ra. Having the form of a crocodile, the Egyptians believed that he also had the nature of a crocodile. He could be the strong, powerful symbol of the pharaoh, showing the ruler's might. He could use this force to protect the justified dead in their after life, and be the protector and rescuer of the other gods... yet he could also use that power to savage his enemies and the sinful deceased. He could bestow sight and senses to the dead, he could bring water and fertility to the land. Yet he was also closely linked to the enemy of Osiris. He was a god that was both feared and respected by the ancient Egyptians.

An Egyptian Pantheon - Merchant Services Ancient Egypt has provided the world with one of the best recognized and most intricate pantheons in existence; one which continues to fascinate and influence even today, some 5100 years beyond its emergence from prehistory. This page is intended as a reference guide for students of Egyptian mythology. When completed, it will hopefully be a compilation of all the known deities of the pharaonic Egyptians. The format will consist of a Name and a description of the divinity. The description will include areas of authority, attributes, images, appearance, and selected comments or stories which might help characterize the divinity better. As I implied above, this is an ongoing work which, at the moment, is incomplete. I most certainly solicit comments and contributions and I don't' charge any merchant services fees to access my site ; if you have additional information for me (or complaints, for that matter), I ask only that you try to supply documentation in support of what you have to say. A note on names. A number of Egyptian divinities are now known by the most recent version of their name or, especially, a Greek transcription of that name.

Nevertheless, earlier versions in the native language exist, and where there is a significant difference I have tried to provide a note on the original form, while retaining the most common form for familiarities sake. Such notes must be viewed as somewhat tentative, because of the nature of the ancient Egyptian language. Like all Semitic tongues, Egyptian was written without vowel signs, leaving later transcribers to guess at what words sounded like, or utilize foreign (usually Greek) versions of those words to form an idea of their true pattern. A note on animal iconography. The Egyptian divinities are well-known for being portrayed with the heads and visages of various beasts. The relationship between the divinities and such creatures is complex, and beyond the scope of this article. Nevertheless, it should be noted that these creatures were not necessarily the only animals sacred to the God or Goddess they are connected with, or that they were the exclusive figure used to image the divinity - in some cases the God or Goddess claimed more than one animal, and in some cases the God or Goddess was portrayed with any of several different creatures faces.

Even so, in most cases a particular creature was almost always used to image a divinity, and I have provided a note indicating what beast icon was utilized commonly or exclusively. This page is intended as a reference guide for students of Egyptian mythology, and is a catalogue, hopefully reasonably complete, of known Egyptian God-forms. The information here is necessarily brief; a full accounting of all these entities would be a massive book in its own right. What is included here is: a Name (original form of the Name), (beast icon),any important epithets or sobriquets that are associated with the Name, and a basic description of spheres of influence, attributes, and/or descriptive stories. Amaunet (Serpent) One of the eight Primal Beings of the Ogdoad, being paired with Amon as co-spirits of Hidden Powers. She is a fertility Goddess, and is considered a protectress of the nation, especially during times of royal succession. Ammut (Crocodile) Eater of souls, she is the final destination for those whose hearts have been found weighted down with guilt in the Hall of the Two Truths.

Amon (Amun) (Serpent) One of the eight Primal Beings of the Ogdoad, being paired with Amaunet as co-Spirits of Hidden Powers. Spoken of as being omnipresent but concealed, the source of mystery and enigma.Regarded as a creator deity, and Lord of the Sun, he is also a source of masculine vitality and sexual energy. His cult rose to great prominence, being only briefly eclipsed by Aten in the 14th century BCE. Often combined with Ra to form the solar divinity Amon-Ra, in late classical times He also became synchretized with the Roman Jupiter to a certain degree. Anubis (Inupu) (Jackal) Protector and Patron of mortuaries, and overseer of the judgement of the dead in the Hall of the Two Truths; He is also the guide and presiding spirit of the embalming process in particular and the journey of departed souls to their final destiny in general. Anukis (Anuket) (Gazelle) Goddess of the Lower Nile, connected fertility of the fields, and also with birth, and midwifery.

Apepi (Serpent) The eternal enemy of Amon-Ra , and the personification of evil and malignancy. Mythologically He plays out His role by attempting to prevent the Solar Boat's passage across the sky. Thus, He is also a patron of Shadow and Darkness. Apis (Bull) The intermediary between the Human and Divine worlds, son of Isis and the living incarnation of Ptah . He appeared on earth in successive incarnations as a bull, entirely black save for a small white spot on the forehead, and dwelling in His temple at Memphis in great state. Each successive bull was mummified and buried in the royal necropolis at Saqqara. Aten (none) The solar disc, as distinct from Amon-Ra (Lord of the Sun). He is portrayed as a Hand extending from a radiant solar disc, never by humanoid or animal imagery.

The cult of Aten dates back to the late 3rd millenium BCE, but the pinnacle of His influence was felt in the 14th century when a political rivalry between the priesthoods of Amon and Aten culminated in the establishment (1346 BCE) of Aten as a genuinely monotheistic cult (all the other divinities being suppressed) during the reign of Akhnaten (1350-1334 BCE). Following the death of Akhnaten, the cult of Aten was in turn suppressed (although not outlawed as such), most of his temples and all of His influence being destroyed. Atum (Human) A Solar deity, a self-created Primordial Being who in turn created Su and Tefnut . Often combined with Ra , under the style of Atum-Ra, He is the Aspect of the sun as it sets in the west. Banebdjedet (Ram) Consort of Hatmehet , He is a fairly obscure Deity whose best-known tale involves His (unsuccessful) mediation between Horus and Seth.

Bastet (Cat) A female Aspect of the Sun God, usually Ra , sometimes Amon , either of whom She is ascribed as being the daughter of in various texts. She personifies the retributive element of the Sun, and is seen as the bringer of divine vengeance to Amon-Ra's enemies. In early times She was portrayed as having the head of a lioness, but later images show the smaller ancestor of today's housecat. She was Patroness of domestic cats, and in that role continues today to enjoy a certain vogue among New-Age believers. See also, Mafdet . Benu (Heron) A solar deity, usually considered an aspect of Atum and, like Him, self-created in Primordial times. His function seems to have been connected with rebirth in the afterlife. That, and His avian character, may have influenced later cultures, especially Hellenic, in the development of the Phoenix story. Bes (Humanoid) A grotesque-appearing dwarf, but of protective and benign character. He is a male Guardian of womankind in childbirth, and also is a Ward against dangerous creatures of all sorts; his ugliness is a primary attribute in frightening evil away.

Buto (Wadjet) (Cobra) A solar Goddess, the personification of Ra's retributive power and, as such, an Aspect of the cleansing and purifying power of the sun's heat. She is regarded as a primary defender of authority, especially royal, and She is a tutelary Goddess of Lower Egypt. She also has some connections with maternal powers, in that She is considered the wetnurse of Horus , as well as the mother of Nefertum . Geb (Human) An Earth-God, normally depicted in a green hue (note a parallel with the Green Man ), He is a Lord of vegetation and the vitality of the soil. He is also a Patron of herbalism, and is considered a healer. Son of Su and Tefnut , brother and consort of Nut , father of Osiris , Isis , Seth , and Nephthys . Hapy (Nile Goose (two-headed)) God of the Nile, and director of the annual innundation, without which the Nile civilization could not endure. As such, He is a fertility figure and, in fact, is often portrayed androgynously.

Hatmehet (Fish) Consort of Banebdjedet , She is the Guardian and Patron of fishermen and the fishing industry. Hathor (Cow) Daughter of Ra , and Goddess of love and sexuality; She was considered the mother of all the Pharoahs, and Royal princesses automatically were Her priestesses by birth. Enormously popular, She has many and diverse functions, including oracular knowledge of every childs destiny, and a patronage of music and dance. One of the few Egyptian divinities to transcend the culture, She found favour in the Graeco-Roman world as well, where Her image affected to one degree or another contemporaneous imagery of Aphrodite . Hauhet (Serpent) One of the eight Primal Beings of the Ogdoad, being paired with Heh as co-Spirits of Infinity. Heh (Frog) One of the eight Primal Beings of the Ogdoad, being paired with Hauhet as co-Spirits of Infinity. Heket (Frog) A Goddess concerned with birth, particularly with alleviating the dangers and pain of the birth process.

Heretkau (Human) Cthonic mortuary Goddess concerned with protection of souls in the afterlife. Images often associate Her as a servant or assistant to Isis . Hesat (Cow) Goddess of pregnancy and Source of nursing milk (the "beer of Hesat"). The mother of Anubis . Horus (Haru) (Falcon) Son, posthumously, of Osiris by Isis , and symbol of divine vengeance. Mythologically He is the originator of the Egyptian state and it's first sovereign, the land of which He wrested from Seth when He avenged the slaughter of Osiris. Successive Pharaohs were regarded as the Earthly incarnations of Horus. Thus, Horus represents the core of national and dynastic stability, and as such is the divine Source of sovereignty. Isis ('Aset) (Human, sometimes Hawk) Daughter of Geb and Nut , sister and consort of Osiris , mother of Horus . An enormously popular and enduring figure in the pantheon, Isis is one of the few Egyptian divinities to find widespread worship outside of Egypt as well.

She is to Her people the female Aspect of national stability and sovereignty, as well as being a primary symbol of nurturance and motherhood. During Osiris' battles with Seth , She twice restored him, impregnating herself upon his remains to give birth to His heir and avenger, Horus. Regarded as paramount in magical power, Her Name figured in all manner of incantations, especially those of healing. To the Ptolomaic and Roman worlds, She became an important symbol of divine sanction for rebirth and reincarnation, and several mystery cults were formed around her tale. Iconography portraying Her with the infant Horus strongly influenced contemporary images of the Virgin Mary and infant Jesus. Kauket (Serpent) One of the eight Primal Beings of the Ogdoad, being paired with Kek as co-Spirits of Darkness. Kek (Frog) One of the eight Primal Beings of the Ogdoad, being paired with Kauket as co-Spirits of Darkness. Khenty-Imentiu (Wolf) A lesser war God, associated with Osiris in His battles, also seen as pilot of the Solar Boat.

Kheper (Scarab) An Aspect of Ra , the divinity responsible foir maintaining the sun's course across the sky. Khnum (Ram) Craftsman and especially potter among the Gods. He created life upon His potter's wheel at the command of the Primal deities. Khonsu (Human, sometimes Falcon) Moon God. Originally regarded as the child of Amon and Mut , in the Late Kingdom He is often referenced as the offspring of Sebek and Hathor . Aside from His strong lunar association, He was also a divinity invoked in exorcisms and in rites of healing. Mafdet (Cat) Goddess of judicial authority and divine patroness of executions. She is normally shown bearing, or leaping up onto a gallows, and She is also spoken of as a functionary within the Hall of Two Truths. See also Bastet . Ma'at (Human) Goddess of law, truth, and cosmic order. She personifies the scales in the Hall of Two Truths upon which Osiris weighs the heart of deceased souls for it's burden of guilt. Every Pharoah was considered the "Beloved of Ma'at", and in that sense She is the pillar around which orderly society can flourish.

Min (Human) The male divinity most closely concerned with sexuality and male virility. A son of Isis , He represents the vigour of each successive Pharoah. Perhaps not unsurprisingly, He is also a Patron of mines as well. Montu (Hawk) A war God, originating in Upper Egypt, and synchretized with Ra to a strong degree. Mut (Human sometimes Lion) Tutelary Goddess of Thebes and a parallel to Sakhmet . At times considered the consort of Amon-Ra and mother of Khonsu . Naunet (Serpent) One of the eight Primal Beings of the Ogdoad, being paired with Nun as co-Spirits of Emptyness. Nefertum (Lion) Regarded in Lower Egypt as the son of Buto , He is a lesser primordial being, and personifies the Blue Lotus of Ra . Nehebukau (Serpent) A minor God of healing, specifically a protector against snakebite and scorpion sting.

Neith (Cow) A primordial Goddess, self-created and self-creating; in some tales She is the Tracer of the Nile's course and the foundress of the city of Sais, established when She brought the Nile to the sea. She has many functions in addition; one of the most prevalent is that of Patroness of the Loom, and of spinning. Nekhbet (Vulture) Tutelary Goddess of Upper Egypt, regarded as a protectress and ministrant to childbirth. Nephthys (Nebhet) (Human)Youngest daughter of Geb and Nut , and often regarded as the consort of Seth . She is also sometimes considered the mother of Anubis . Her primary function is that of mortuary protectress, in which role She serves as guide to the spirits of deceased Pharoahs Nun (Frog) One of the eight Primal Beings of the Ogdoad, being paired with Naunet as co-Spirits of Emptyness. Nut (Human) An Aerial Goddess of sky and wind, daughter of Su and Tefnut , Sister and consort of Geb , mother of Osiris and Isis , Seth and Nephthys .

She is the arching vault of the heavens, Her body sparkling with starlight. Through Her mouth the Sky-boat of the Sun passes each evening, from her vulva the it re-emerges and the day is reborn each morning. She retains some weatherworking functions; the thunder is Her voice. She is the special Patroness of the Pharoahs in their transition from Horus to Osiris. The Ogdoad A collection of eight Primal Beings who emerged out of Chaos to define the universe and begin the flow of time. See Amaunet , Amon , Hauhet , Heh , Kauket , Kek , Naunet , and Nun . Onuris (Anhuret) (Human) A warrior God with solar aspects, considered by some as an aspect of Ra , especially as an image of the active principal of solar power against enemies. He is also a patron of hunters and the chase. Osiris (Ausar) (Human) Eldest child of Geb and Nut , posthumous father of Horus , Osiris is the most widely known and most deeply revered of the pantheon. He represents, first and foremost, the Path of Destiny, and the Life beyond life.

He is the Judge of departed souls in the Hall of Two Truths, and He is the general guardian, guide, and ruler of the afterworld of departed spirits. The ancient Egyptians were obsessed with the problem of what occurs in the way of an afterlife and what the ultimate spiritual destiny of mankind is. Thus Osiris represents the promise of eternal life and the triumph of order and meaning over chaos. Defeated by his nemesis (and younger brother) Seth , He rises once again in an eternal cycle symbolized in the material world by the cyclical rising of the Nile and in the astral world by the passage of Amon-Ra, the holy sun and the cyclical appearances of Sothis , the star Sirius. Osiris is thus Friend, Saviour, and ultimate master of mankind. In Egyptian Royal tradition, as each Pharoah is the living incarnation of Horus in life, so in death they are transfigured into Osiris. Ptah (Human) A primary creator divinity, Patron of Memphis and the focus of a powerful priesthood there. He is said to be self-creating and self-creative, bringing the Primal Chaos (in this version represented by Nun) into order and form by the sound of His voice.

Additionally, He is patron to all the crafts and sciences, inspiring both practical invention and fine art. He is the consort of Sekhmet and presumably the father of Nefertum . Ra (Hawk) One of the primary solar dieties, often (especially in later times) conflated with Amon to form the composite solar entity Amon-Ra. Ra is in essence the spirit of the sun in it's glory and fullest strength, a noontide divinity embodying heat, light, and majesty. He was not especially popular, in that He represents the retributive and lightning swift blaze of power, striking down enemies with his gaze alone. The phrase, often encountered in Egyptian religious and magickal writings, "Eye of Ra", represents His pitiless and omnipresent knowledge of all beneath the sun. Sarapis (Human or Bull) A very late addition to the Egyptian pantheon, He emerged out of early Ptolomaic thought as a conflation of Osiris with Apis , representing the fertility of the land with the sanctity and promise of an immortal afterlife.

His cult became a fixture during Roman times, and competed with both Mithraism and early Christianity for a predominant role in the Empire as a whole. Satet (Human) Consort of Khnum and mother of Anukis , She was tutelary Goddess of the Nubian frontier, in the far south of Upper Egypt. Sebek (Crocodile) Son of Neith , Consort of Hathor , father of Khonsu . He represents the power and strength of the Pharoahs, and is a Patron of all reptilian forms. He is occasionally conflated with Seth, and in rare instances is regarded as the Source and personification of Evil. Sepa (Centipede) A minor protector divinity, called upon to defend against wild animals and evil spirits. He is also associated with the necropolis, and is regarded as a helper of Osiris and Anubis within the mortuary. Seker (Hawk) A lord of Darkness and Shadow, and the divine essence of burial and decay. He is thus connected with an aspect of the cycle of rebirth.

Sekhmet (Lion) Daughter of Ra and consort of Ptah , She is a war goddess and a divine Aspect of the power and majesty of the Pharoah against vhis enemies. Seshet (Human) Goddess of scribes, of writing, of history (and thus the orderly flow of time), and the special Patroness of libraries and archives. She is regarded as the foundress of temples and halls of worship, and She retains a considerable aura of magickal patronage, in that writing was a secret system of knowledge known only to an elite few. Not surprisingly, She is the consort of Thoth . Seth (Composite Creature) Child of Geb and Nut , sibling of Osiris , Isis , and Nephthys . Seth is a complex figure who seems in the main to be adversarial in nature. The most typical mythologies have Him at war with his brother Osiris, a war in which He defeats Osiris but is in turn defeated by Osiris' heir, Horus .

Nevertheless, it needs to be pointed out that several times during the Pharoanic period in Egypt His cult was widespread and highly honoured, supplanting on occasion the identification of the Pharoah with Horus/Osiris. His beast imagery is also unusual, being composed of diverse elements culled from several sorts of creatures; the usual image is that of rather long-snouted, stiff-eared beast that vaguely reminds one of a wolf or aardvark. Sia (Human) Divine Patron of sense perception. Child of Ra , He accompanies His father on the Sky Boat which bears the sun along it's course. Sothis (Sopdet) (Human) The star Sirius, which appears above the horizon at just the time of the summer inundation of the Nile. Thus, She is Herald and Harbinger of this most vital seasonal occurance. Su (Human) Primordial divinity created by Atum or, in some mythologies Ptah . As Consort to His sister Tefnut , He is the ancestor of all the remaining Gods and Goddesses through their offspring Geb and Nut . He is an aerial divinity, and a lord of the sky.

Taurt (Hippopotamus) Goddess of childbirth and Protectress of womankind, a very commonly represented and popular divinity amonmg the ordinary folk of Egypt. Tefnut (Lioness, sometimes the Uraeus Serpent) Primordial divinity created by Atum or, in some mythologies Ptah . As Consort to Her brother Su , She is ancestress of all the remaining Gods and Goddesses through their offspring Geb and Nut . Her primary Attribute is as Patroness of water. Thoth (Djehuti) (Ibis) Tutelary divinity of knowledge and understanding. He is Patron to scribes, and protector of archives, as well as being the inspiration for all knowledge-based arts and sciences. He is said to have created writing for the use of mankind. Regarded as scrupulously honest, He is the scribe of the Hall of Two Truths, recording the deeds and accounts of each soul facing judgement, as well as taking a hand in judging. He has lunar associations, and is the Consort of Seshet .

The Hall of the Two Truths As mentioned above, the ancient Egyptian culture was obsessed with the idea of an eternal life beyond death, and the need to avoid absolute personal extinction. As a result, the culture exerted enormous resources in the direction of mortuary science, embalming, and the development of theological and philosophical underpinnings of a belief in the migration of a soul from the material world toTuat, the spiritual world. Preservation of the physical body was paramount, for without a home, the soul wandered and would be lost forever. Magickal formulae which revealed the passwords and spells required to gain admittance to the afterworld needed to be learned, so Books of the Dead which revealed such lore were deposited with the corpse. From the 18th Dynasty (15th-14th century BCE), a standardized belief in otherworldly Judgement took center stage. In this notion, each soul had to approach the Hall of Two Truths, hear their deeds pronounced by Thoth , and have their hearts weighed by Osiris upon the scales of Ma'at , all in the presence of 42 Judges.

If their hearts were light with purity, sobeit; but if they were heavy with guilt, then the fires of the pit and the tender ministrations of Ammut would be their lot. What follows is a list of those 42 Judges, together with translation of the name in instances where I know it. That there are, in fact, 45 names in the list should surprise no-one; the Egyptian religion is very old, and differences in interpretation by various scribes do creep in given an active period of some 3500 years.

Aati; Ahi; Amkhaibitu (Eater of Ghosts); Amsnef (Eater of Blood); Anaf (Bringer of His Arm); Anhotep; Anty; Arimabef; Basty; Fenty; Hai (Phallus); Heptshet; Herfhaf (He With His Face Behind Him); Heriuru (Chief of the Great Ones); Hetchabehu; Kenemty; Khemy; Maa-Anuf; Maatifemkhet (He Whose Two Eyes Are as Fire); Maatifemtes (He Whose Two Eyes Are as Knives); Neba; Neb Heru (Lord of Faces); Neb Nebu (Lord of Lords); Nehaher; Nehebnefert; Nekhenu; Qerty; Rerty; Sekheriu; Sertiu; Setqesu (Bone-Breaker); Shetkheru; Taret; Tchesertep; Temsep; Teni; Thenemy; Thenret; Tutu; Uamemty; Uatchnesert (Green Flame); Usekhnemmet (He of the Long Stride); Utunesert; Uturek

hit Egypt: Sobek, God of Crocodiles, Power, Protection and Fertility Contact Us About us Tour Egypt aims to offer the ultimate Egyptian adventure and intimate knowledge about the country.

We offer this unique experience in two ways, the first one is by organizing a tour and coming to Egypt for a visit, whether alone or in a group, and living it firsthand. The second way to experience Egypt is from the comfort of your own home: online. Egypt: Sobek, God of Crocodiles, Power, Protection and Fertility Sobek, God of Crocodiles, Power, Protection and Fertility by Caroline Seawright Sobek (Sobeq, Sebek, Sochet, Suchos) was an ancient god of crocodiles, first mentioned in the Pyramid Texts . His worship lasted till Roman times , the people of Egypt worshiping him to gain his protection and strength, or reviling him and killing the crocodiles of the area because of the evil that they could do. To his worshipers, he was a god who created the Nile , a god of fertility and rebirth, and the symbolic strength of the ruler of Egypt. Depicted either as a crocodile-headed man or as a full crocodile, Sobek was shown wearing a plumed headdress with a horned sun disk or the atef crown.

In his hands he was shown to carry a was sceptre and the ankh sign of life. His sacred animal, the crocodile, was both revered and reviled by the people of Egypt - in some areas, a tame crocodile was worshiped as the god Sobek himself, while in other places the reptiles were killed. The Egyptians seemed to both respect and fear the power of the crocodile, and as the result of this, Sobek was seen as an ambivalent creature. Image Mark T. Rigby During the 12th and 13th Dynasties, the cult of Sobek was given particular prominence, as the names of such rulers as Sobekhotep and Sobekneferu indicate. Sobekneferu (1799-1795 BC) was the sister (and maybe the wife) of Amenemnhat IV (1808-1799 BC), was the last ruler of the 12th Dynasty - the first definite female pharaoh of Egypt. There were eight rulers of the 13th Dynasty with the birth name of Sobekhotep, including Sobekhotep II Amenemhat (c.

1750 BC), Sobekhotep III Sekhemrasewadjtawy (c. 1745 BC) and Sobekhotep IV Khaneferra (c. 1730-1720 BC). -- British Museum Dictionary of Ancient Egypt, Ian Shaw and Paul Nicholson The crocodile's power to snatch and destroy it's prey was thought to be symbolic of the might of the pharaoh - the strength and energy of the reptile was a manifestation of the pharaoh's own power. The word 'sovereign' was written as yt. This way, the crocodile - and thus Sobek - was linked to the pharaoh, the sovereign of Egypt. In times of need, he gives the pharaoh strength and fortitude so that he may overcome all obstacles. He also protects the pharaoh from all harm, especially evil magic. -- Sobek , TourEgypt Originally, Sobek was probably a dark god who had to be appeased to give the people his protection against crocodiles. Sobek had a dark streak that stayed with him for the time he was worshiped. In The Book of the Dead , he was showed as four crocodiles who were believed to attack the deceased in the underworld.

This dark side sometimes put him in the camp of Set . In one version of the tale of Osiris , Isis had to place Horus into a little boat of papyrus reeds to protect him from a menacing Sobek. His form of a crocodile - one of Set 's creatures - linked him closely to the enemy of Horus. It was believed that Set turned himself into a crocodile to escape from Horus, and Sobek was punished for allowing this. Several bynames of Set have the determinative of the crocodile*. Although crocodiles may be the bas of Sobek, they may also be regarded as the messengers of Set . Set may be called msha [crocodile]. On the other hand, msha, the crocodile, is sometimes called the son of Set . It would be a mistake to deduce from this that Set is the father of a particular mythical son, in the way Osiris is the father of Horus. The intention is merely to express that a dangerous crocodile is a Set ian product. * yty {Seizer; ... away {Robber. -- Set, God of Confusion: A Study of his Role in Egyptian Mythology and Religion, H.

te Velde Sobek, as with many of the other protective gods, also had a benign side. In a different version of the tale of Osiris, it was Sobek who carried the dead body of Osiris to the bank of the Nile on his back. The four mummiform sons of Horus - Imsety, human headed protector of the liver, Hapy, baboon headed protector of the lungs, Duamutef, jackal headed protector of the stomach and Qebehsenuef, falcon headed protector of the intestines - were believed to have come out of a water lily that rose from the waters of Nun . Under the orders of Ra , the four gods were rescued by Sobek in a net, and brought them to land. The Book of the Dead suggests that Sobek's closeness to Horus can be traced back to his participation in the birth of this god. Sobek was responsible for calling Isis and Nephthys to aid in the protection of the dead. -- The Crocodile God, Sobek , Catherine C.

Harris Despite the different attitudes of people to the god, he was venerated as one who restored sight to the dead, who revived their senses and who protected them from Set who attacked those souls who traveled through the land of the dead. Sobek was a god of the Nile (which was believed to have come from his sweat) who gave life to vegetation and fertility to the land. The 'Lord of the Waters' was believed to have risen from the primeval waters of Nun to create the world. One tale says that Sobek laid his eggs on the bank of the waters, starting the creation process. He was thus a fertility god, 'He Who Made the Herbage Green'. This explains his link to the rebirth of the deceased into the after life. On the western border of the Fayum ... on the lake of Moeris was the temple of Sobek of the Island, Soknopaios as it is called by the Greeks. It had a high-priest who received a small stipend of 344 drachm, and all the other priests together received daily about one bushel of wheat as remuneration for their trouble.

They were not even immune from the statutory labor on the embankments, and if this was lessened for them, it was owing to the good offices of their fellow citizens. -- Egypt, Myths and Legends, Lewis Spence Sobek's temples were found scattered throughout the land of Egypt, but the Faiyum area in Lower Egypt was his sacred area. The Greek-named the town of ' Crocodilopolis ' (Shedyet) had a temple where a tame, sacred crocodile was kept by himself in a lake. The crocodile was hand fed by the priests, seemingly for the amusement of ancient tourists, according to Strabo. At some of the temples, crocodiles of all ages were mummified and placed in sarcophagi in tombs, along with some unborn fetuses, still in the eggs. A temple at Medinet Madi was dedicated to Sobek, the goddess Renenutet and Horus. In Upper Egypt he was worshiped in the Kom Ombo - there was a temple at Kom Ombo dedicated to Sobek, Hathor and Khonsu . Another temple at Kom Ombo venerates both Sobek and Horus the Elder.

Legend had is that the 'Lord of Bakhu' had a temple made of carnelian at Bakhu - mountain of the horizon. I am Sobek, who dwelleth amid his terrors. I am Sobek, and I seize [my prey] like a ravening beast. I am the great Fish which is in Kamui. I am the Lord to whom bowings and prostrations are made in Sekhem. And the Osiris Ani is the lord to whom bowings and prostrations are made in Sekhem. -- The Book of the Dead, The Chapter of Making the Transformation into the Crocodile God (Sobek) Sobek first appeared in the Old Kingdom as the son of Nit , where he was known as ad 'The Rager'. The two were mentioned as mother and son in the pyramid of Unas. Some tales suggested that Set was his father. He was given different wives in different areas - Hathor, Renenutet , Heqet to name a few. He was also thought to be husband of the goddess Taweret , who was sometimes depicted with a crocodile on her back.

He was, likewise, given different children - Khonsu, Horus and Khnum were sometimes called his sons, again in different areas. Those who do away utterly sins and offences, and who are in the following of the goddess Hetepsekhus, are the god Sobek and his associates who dwell in the water. The goddess Hetepsekhus is the Eye of Ra. -- The Book of the Dead, Texts Relating to the Weighing of the Heart of Ani During the Middle Kingdom , Sobek was linked to the god Amen, who seemed to have assimilated him to some degree. He was also connected to the sun god Ra, giving the form Sobek-Ra, who was worshipped as another omnipotent manifestation of the sun deity. Thus Sobek could be shown wearing either the headdress of Amen or the sun disk of Ra . Having the form of a crocodile, the Egyptians believed that he also had the nature of a crocodile. He could be the strong, powerful symbol of the pharaoh, showing the ruler's might. He could use this force to protect the justified dead in their after life, and be the protector and rescuer of the other gods...

yet he could also use that power to savage his enemies and the sinful deceased. He could bestow sight and senses to the dead, he could bring water and fertility to the land. Yet he was also closely linked to the enemy of Osiris. He was a god that was both feared and respected by the ancient Egyptians. See Also: Ancient Egypt: the Mythology - Sobek Sobek Symbols: Crocodiles Cult Center: Arsinoe (Crocodopolis) A crocodile-god, he was worshipped in cities that depended on water, such as the oasis city of Arsinoe (Crocodilopolis), where the reptiles were kept in pools and adorned with jewels. Hundreds of the animals have been found mummified. He was worshipped to placate his sacred animals (the crocodiles). He was portrayed as a man with the head of a crocodile, or sometimes simply as one. In the Book of the Dead, he assists in the birth of Horus and helps to destroy Seth . He also retrieved the Four Sons of Horus from the waters of Nun was the request of Re . Digg This!

1000+ images about Sobek │God of the Nile on Pinterest | Image search, Mythology and The military Pinterest • The world’s catalog of ideas Sobek │God of the Nile 27 Pins1.96k Followers Hunter, guardian, destroyer, menace; the Crocodile God, Sobek, swims where the Nile takes him and owes allegiance to no one. Sebek | Monster in My Pocket Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Edit A creature that supposedly resides in the Nile River, Sebek or Sobek is a half-crocodile half-human deity that Egyptian inhabitants spoke of. It was unsure if Sebek protected the tribes of Egypt or haunted them, killing innocent humans. Eventually becoming so adorned, he was thought of a God, Sebek supposedly continues to hunt for prey in the Nile. Series 2 Figurine Sebek is a ten-point monster and comes in all four colors (blue, pink, orange, and neon-green). He is depicted as a human with a crocodile head.

Trading card text (Translated from the mexican card) Species: Reptilian humanoid Born: During the XIII dynasty of Egypt Size: 2.40 meters Habitat: The riverbanks of the Nile From the shore this monster looks like a regular crocodile, but this protector of the alligators has a human body and powerful and muscular legs. It is said that his weak spot are the sad stories. If you find him remember the crocodile tears and make him cry.

Question: In Egyptian mythology the god Sebek is associated with which creature?
Answer: Crocodile